The appointment of Dharavi MLA, Varsha Gaikwad, as the new president of the Mumbai Congress has triggered a fresh wave of internal conflict within the Maharashtra Congress, which is already battling factionalism.
Following Ms. Gaikwad’s appointment, certain office-bearers from the previous administration had expressed unease with the new power equation as she apparently intended to remove their nameplates at the regional office and had tried to curtail their authority. She purportedly stated that her appointment marked the dissolution of the previous executive committee led by Bhai Jagtap, with new members set to be announced in due course.
Mumbai Congress leaders wasted no time in reaching out to their national president Mallikarjun Kharge to seek his intervention, who in turn contacted Ms. Gaikwad to discuss the situation and asked her to prioritise unity and inclusiveness within the Mumbai Congress ahead of crucial civic polls and the next year’s Parliament and Assembly elections.
